January 02, 2020, 05:51 PM
Even though it is extraordinary times in Hong Kong these days, the people there ushered in the new year by counting down like everyone else.
Replaced countdown by chanting protest slogan
However, they replaced the traditional countdown by chanting a protest slogan, "Glory to Hong Kong, Revolution of Our Times" during the last eight seconds of the New Year's Eve countdown.
The mass countdowns took place in many parts of Hong Kong, such as Central, Victoria Harbour, and Mong Kok.
Here are some of the video clips on the countdown:
Compilation of the 10, 9, 光, 復, 香, 港, 時, 代, 革, 命 countdowns from various districts in HK. The Times Square crowd needed to get their shit together though, I had no idea what they were trying to chant 😂
— woppa 🎗😷 (@Woppa1Woppa) December 31, 2019
Happy 2020! 1月1 維園見!#StandWithHongKong #HongKongProtests pic.twitter.com/xMMhEHDlP9
Another nice video of the New Year countdown in Mong Kok. I love that #HK now has its own countdown: #光復香港時代革命 #LiberateHongKong #RevolutionIfOurTimes pic.twitter.com/m1CggZWkvX
— Brian Kern / Kong Tsung-gan / 江松澗 (@KongTsungGan) December 31, 2019
https://twitter.com/ajmm19923493/status/1212045558736535552
While Hong Kong's traditional New Year's Eve fireworks were cancelled for the first time in a decade, with the authorities citing "security" concerns, smaller-scale fireworks still went ahead.
Rally started out peaceful but ended in clashes
Shortly after midnight on Wednesday, Jan. 1, the largely peaceful rally was stopped by the police, which led to street clashes between protesters and police, as well as vandalism from the protesters.
Police fired at least five rounds of tear gas on Waterloo Road in Yau Ma Tei shortly after they warned the protesters of participating in an unlawful assembly. #HongKongProtests
— SCMP Hong Kong (@SCMPHongKong) December 31, 2019
Video: SCMP/Alvin Lum pic.twitter.com/6DyHbOhmpX
Police fired tear gas and deployed water cannons to disperse the crowds.
At least 400 people were arrested, with most of the arrests made in Causeway Bay.
A large-scale New Year's Day march on Wednesday also ended in chaos barely three hours after it started.
While organisers say about a million people attended the march, police place the figure at a much more conservative estimate of 60,000 people, South China Morning Post reported.
On the first day of the new year, more than 1 million people in Hong Kong showed up to continue the fight for democracy and against tyranny.
— Minh Ngo (@minhtngo) January 1, 2020
This needs to be America in 2020! pic.twitter.com/IqnzfG3Jbz
While Hong Kong has experienced a relative lull in the wake of a landslide victory for pro-democracy candidates in the local elections, clashes between riot police and protesters have increased in frequency again over the festive season.
The city-wide protests are now in its eighth month, but show no signs of slowing down.
Xi Jinping calls for "peace" in Hong Kong
In his New Year's Eve message delivered on state television, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated that Hong Kong could only prosper should there be peace, according to SCMP.
Xi also praised the Special Administrative Region of Macau, holding it up as a positive example of the "one country, two systems" arrangement.
Top image via Stand News & @Woppa1Woppa
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